Inactivation of E2f1 enhances tumorigenesis in a Myc transgenic model

Previous studies have demonstrated both oncogenic and tumor suppressive properties for the E2F1 transcription factor. In this study, E2f1-null mice were crossed with transgenic mice expressing Myc under the control of an epithelial-specific keratin 5 promoter to determine whether the absence of E2F1 would modulate the oncogenic activity of Myc. Inactivation of E2f1 was found to significantly accelerate tumor development in keratin 5 Myc transgenic mice. Acceleration of tumorigenesis occurred despite the fact that apoptosis levels were increased in transgenic tissue and tumors null for E2f1, whereas Myc-induced proliferation was unaffected by the status of E2f1. These findings provide new insight into the tumor suppressive activity of E2F1 and identify for the first time a specific oncogenic alteration that cooperates with the loss of E2F1 in tumorigenesis.